May 16, 2012
Facebook photos of their signings:
Darian Harris and
Patrice Smith
NEW ORLEANS — Defensive specialist Darian Harris of
Gretna, La., and Louise S. McGehee School and right-side hitter Patrice Smith of
Glenn Heights, Texas, and DeSoto High School signed women's volleyball scholarships Wednesday with
Xavier University of Louisiana.
Xavier has signed five high school seniors
for the 2012 season.
Harris recorded 757 digs, 107 aces and 70 kills the past
three seasons at McGehee. She helped the Hawks finish second in the Division IV
state

playoffs in 2009 and reach the semifinals in 2010. They won district championships both seasons.
Smith started as a junior and senior on DeSoto teams
which were 27-8 overall and 9-1 in district in 2010 and 27-14 and 10-0 in 2011.
Both teams were district champions and won in the first round of the state playoffs.
Smith produced 193 kills, 150 blocks and 124 digs as a senior and was first-team all-district.
She was selected her district's top newcomer in 2010.
Harris and Smith will be biology / pre-medical majors at Xavier.
Previously signed with the Gold Nuggets were middle blocker
Jodi Hill of Prairieville, La., outside hitter CeCe Williams of Houma, La., and
middle blocker Claudia Haywood of Memphis, Tenn.
Xavier was 23-7 in 2011, won the Gulf Coast Athletic
Conference regular-season and tournament championships and qualified for the
NAIA National Championship. The Gold Nuggets will begin the 2012 season in
late August.

2012-13 Xavier women's volleyball signees

Name

Pos.

Ht.

Yr.*

Hometown

High School (College)

Darian Harris

DS

5-3½

Fr.

Gretna, La.

McGehee

Claudia Haywood

MB

5-11

Fr.

Memphis, Tenn.

Cordova

Jodi Hill

MB

5-9

Fr.

Prairieville, La.

Dutchtown

Patrice Smith

RS

5-9

Fr.

Glenn Heights, Texas

DeSoto

CeCe Williams

OH

5-6

Fr.

Houma, La.

Vandebilt Catholic

* classification at Xavier in 2012-13

The Xavier Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets compete in Division I of the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) as a member of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC).
Xavier fields men's teams in basketball, cross country and tennis and women's teams in basketball, cross country, tennis and volleyball.